State President Nguyen Minh Triet’s recent visits opened a new phase of development in the relations between Vietnam and Italy, Spain and Slovakia–important members of the European Union–creating a momentum for furthering their economic-trade and investment cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem granted an interview to the press on the results of President Triet’s visits to the three countries from December 9-18.

Vietnam and the three European countries reached mutual understandings and a high unanimity on issues of the bilateral relations and the world. During the meetings, the three countries’ leaders and businesses expressed their admiration of Vietnam ’s great achievements during the renewal process, especially in economics, despite the global economic crisis.

They also spoke highly of Vietnam’s increasing position, role and prestige in the international arena and expressed wishes to develop cooperation with the country in all fields.

The three countries’ leaders affirmed to closely cooperate with Vietnam at international forums and organisations.

President Triet and the Italian, Spanish and Slovak leaders reached consensus on a number of specific and practical orientations and measures to further develop ties between Vietnam and the European countries in the coming time.

During the visit, Vietnam and Spain agreed to establish the “Strategic Partnership towards the Future” to be realised in the two countries’ joint action programme.

Vietnam and the three countries also agreed to boost the exchange of high-ranking delegations.

The Italian and Spanish Prime Ministers and the Slovak Parliament Speaker affirmed to visit Vietnam in 2010. Vietnam will open its embassy in Slovakia next year.

Strengthening the economic-trade and investment cooperation was the focus of discussions between the leaders during the visit. They also agreed to boost cooperation in other fields such as tourism, education and training as well as in organising cultural and sports exchange activities, especially those to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi scheduled for October 2010.

A huge number of cooperative agreements were signed during the visit, helping consolidate the legal foundation for the multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and the three countries.

President Triet’s meetings with representatives of Italian, Spanish and Slovak businesses showed that the countries’ business communities are interested in seeking partners and long-term investments in Vietnam.

On the occasion, Vietnamese businesses signed cooperative agreements and economic contracts worth hundreds of millions of USD with Italian, Spanish and Slovak counterparts.

During his stay in Italy, President Triet met with Pope Benedict XVI. He conveyed to the Pope a clear message of Vietnam ’s religious policies in general and those for the Catholicism in particular, as well as the Vietnamese State ’s viewpoints on the relationship with Vatican./.